Bond
fans are going to be disappointed with the PSP version
of From Russia With Love. At best it's a decent, third-person
shooter but it falls short of its potential to be
another 007: Everything Or Nothing.by
Mike Chasselwaite

April
11, 2006 - Exotic
locales, stunning babes, guns and gadgets and a sophisticated
cheeky countenance are the hallmarks of the James
Bond series. The movie version of From Russia With
Love is considered by many to be the best Bond movie
ever. The same cannot be said for this game.

Part
of the problem lies with the storyline. The game only
uses it as a general guide, like a map drawn on a
napkin, designed to only get you from one point to
another. There is no cohesion to the story and the
last few levels have nothing to do with it at all.
It's as though the developers gave up altogether and
just threw together a few levels to fill it out and
wrap things up.

For
the most part, From Russia With Love, is a decent
port of the console version. There are a few additions
and a few omissions. The vehicles are missing but
there are some mini-games and a couple of multi-player
modes which are not available on the console version.
These additions don't make up for the missed potential.

There
are more than 30 levels in the game. Although the
story revolves around subterfuge there isn't much
in the way of stealth, which may be a good thing.
There is plenty of action as you get to play around
with some weapons and the famous Bond gadgets, but
as any Bond fan knows it's the personality that makes
a Bond movie unique. While the in-game dialog is filled
with wise-ass cracks, Bond comes off as a one-dimensional
character more akin to a Schwarzenegger movie despite
the return of Connery as the voice of Bond.

As
the story goes, Bond meets up with a beautiful Russian
spy that wants to defect. She's prepared to exchange
a Russian decoder machine in order to meet Bond, who
she claims is the love of her life after just seeing
a photograph of him. Of course this is a story of
intrigue, mystery and betrayal. You just can't trust
a spy, never mind a Russian spy. The organization
formerly known as SMERSH is behind the evil plans
to assassinate Bond as he is deemed an enemy to the
Soviet Union and must "be killed with ignominy."

The
gameplay is like a lighthearted version of Splinter
Cell. Like the movies, the game doesn't take itself
too seriously, at least as far as the story is concerned
but maybe if the developers took the gameplay a little
more seriously this might have been a much better
game. There are some interesting gadgets but there's
not enough places to use them. The Q-copter is a remote
surveillance tool that can also be detonated when
in the vicinity of enemies. A special belt lets you
climb and descend walls and a jetpack allows you to
fly while using the built-in machine guns and rocket
launcher. The guns have a tendency to run out of ammo
quickly so running and gunning is not the preferred
method of combat. A targeting system lets you lock-on
to enemies or objects. You can move the reticle around
for more precision such as taking a headshot. The
problem is that when you're locked-on, you can't move
and that can be deadly.

Let's
face it. The PSP is up against it from the get go.
It just can't compete with the PS2's control system.
The absence of an extra analog stick can be a big
problem when porting a game from a console that utilizes
one stick for character movement and the other for
the control of the camera or aiming of the weapons.
The developers did the best they could with what they
had but they could have changed some technical elements
of the game such as employing useful, automated camera
angles. As it is you have to use the square and the
circle button to move the camera. The stick is used
to control the character and the face buttons perform
the various actions such as ducking, wall hugs, dive
rolls and the lock-on targeting mode. The D-pad lets
you select weapons and gadgets while the shoulder
buttons allow you to fire the weapons or zoom in.
It's all a little confusing and not the most convenient
method, but it could be a lot worse. The developers
were on the right track with content-sensitive moves
that are automatically triggered when you are positioned
in a specific area. These moves are typically obvious
and there's no reason to have a button assigned to
execute such a move. You will find that moving into
some positions can be a nightmare as the controls
seem too touchy in some respects and not responsive
enough in others.

Up
to four players can engage in Ad Hock versions of
Deathmatch and Last Man Standing. You can play them
with the jetpacks or just on foot, either way they
aren't anything to look forward too. The maps are
small and it's difficult to make things out on the
screen. A radar system allows you to see the other
players' positions at all times, except when they
pick up an invisible power-up. The auto-targeting
is too effective, and if you happen to be in the enemy's
sights first, you're definitely a goner.

Sean
Connery has reprised his role as the detective. He's
actually re-recorded his dialog which is evident by
the older and wiser tone to his voice. I can't say
his delivery is brilliant but at least he still sounds
cocky and somewhat aloof. You'll recognize some of
the scenes from the movie but don't expect a lot of
detail. The musical score is definitely top shelf.
Who doesn't like the James Bond theme?

The
average gamer will be able to complete this in a day
or two. I wouldn't suggest sticking around for the
multi-player modes. Rent this game, just as you would
the movie. If you purchase it, it will leave you shaken,
not stirred.

Features

Be
Bond, Connery's Bond - Step into the shoes of the
legendary Sean Connery, the original James Bond.

Enter
the World of Classic 007 - Drive the vintage cars,
meet the beautiful women, and visit the exotic locales,
all beautifully rendered in authentic '60s style.

The
Best Bond Experience Yet - Fully integrated stealth
and driving missions, non-linear level progression,
a new zoom and focus aiming mechanic, and a deeply
immersive living world add up to innovative, non-stop
Bond action.

Brand-New
Multiplayer Mode - Take on a friend and see who
makes the best Bond in third-person, split-screen
deathmatch mode.

Control
007 Like Never Before - A new scoring and rewards
system allows you to deeply customize the equipment,
skills, and abilities you'll use in action as James
Bond.

Classic
Gadgets Made Modern - Equip yourself with an array
of classic weapons and gadgets updated with unique
21stcentury twists.

By
Mike ChasselwaiteCCC
Freelance Writer

Rating
out of 5

From
Russia With Love (PSP)

4.0

Graphics
It replicated the visuals of the movie quite
well for a handheld system but there are
some dull moments and erratic animations.

3.3

ControlThe
developers did the best they could but the
PSP just doesn't have the bells and whistles
that the PS2 controller has.

4.5

Music
/ Sound FX / Voice Acting
Great music, good voiceacting and realistic
sound effects help to increase this game's
overall production values.

2.0

Play
ValueThe
multi-player modes are useless and the mini-games
are just time trials.

3.1

Overall
Rating -
Good
Not an average. See Rating legend above
for a final score breakdown.